How Long To Wear Tennis Elbow Brace

Years of struggle and practice as either a tennis or golf player will put a lot of stress on the arms and elbows. So, when your joints begin to feel sore and rigid, then you’ll see that your athletic coach is recommending you to get a tennis elbow brace for a temporary solution. But those who are unfamiliar with elbow braces are most likely to impose an obvious question. How long to wear the tennis elbow braces? Depending on the wound, it takes weeks or months for most people and even years if the case is pretty severe.

Let’s find the answer to that question more widely in this article. Not only that, but we’ll go over their advantages, who wears them, how they function, and how to wear them to get the fastest result in terms of recovery.

When You Should Wear A Tennis Elbow Brace

Tennis elbow is an excruciating condition that happens whenever the tendons around the elbow are too played out from repetitive and monotonous actions while playing tennis. A brace offers temporary relief by protecting the overstressed tendons. You will alleviate your painful symptoms and also return to your leisure activities by selecting a well-fitting brace belt and correctly putting it on. But many people seem to be confused about the actual time when you should be wearing the elbow brace.  Let’s find out some critical points to notice before wearing a brace.

1^st: Find Out The Cause of Pain

•  This is a significant step as the leading cause is examined in this. Remember that just because your arm is aching doesn’t always mean anything has broken or torn down.
• But that shouldn’t mean you will ignore the pain on your arms and elbows. Consultation of a doctor is a must, no matter how minor the injury or how less painful it seems.
• You can easily find out whether your arm/elbow has broken down from the doctor or any kind of ligament or tendon tearing. A tennis elbow brace is sufficient for the latter, but for a broken bone, you must put on a cast for faster recovery.
• Doctors suggest X-Rays, MRI, arthroscopy, bone scans, etc., for further examination of your wound and remedies.

2^nd: Look Out For Any Tendon Tear

• A full or partial tear of your tendon is known as a tendon rupture. Tendons are strong tissue bands that connect muscles to the bones. A wound or intense pressure on a tendon during sports or a falling can cause a tear. If you have a weak tendon, the risk increases a lot.
• About 90% of tendon injuries are long-term, and 33% of recurrent tear symptoms resolve without surgery.
• It can take up to 12 weeks for the tendon to recover. With a splint or cast, the damaged tendon needs to be protected, so there is a constant ache reduction. If you want to regain your normal free movement faster, the doctor might suggest occupational therapy or physiotherapy sessions.

3^rd: Playing While There is an Existing Injury

•  If you recently faced any kind of injury or recovered from one, then you must wear an elbow brace.
• Tennis leaves the most possibilities for an elbow injury as every ball is hit back with the hand’s power. So, if you’re playing tennis after a long time or maybe for the first time, then consider wearing a brace to safeguard your arms and elbow from nasty injuries.
• In these circumstances, the purpose is to safeguard the injury (to some extent) from more harm after doing something strenuous that requires immediate, intense, repetitive motions.

4^th: During Heavy Exertion

• Contractors or wooden workers engage themselves in heavy load works that are repetitive, so either they finish their job or maybe one of their limbs. So, before anything serious of that sort happens, you should wear a brace for safety.
• I would recommend if your work doesn’t require any physical and hard labor, then ignore the use of a brace completely. You can just pay anyone to cut those weeds for you!

How To Wear A Tennis Elbow Brace?

The proper positioning of a tennis elbow brace is important for minimizing discomfort and enhancing joint flexibility. Tennis elbow is a typical overuse injury that affects the external elbow and causes discomfort. Other conservative procedures, including a strap or brace, have proved to be very successful.

But not everyone can wear it properly, so let’s find out some steps to wear your tennis brace in the correct position.

1^st: Choosing the Brace

• Braces are available in all drugstores and sports shops. You can measure the forearm circumference by yourself at home or the shop using a tape measure.
• The majority of tennis elbow braces can be worn on either arm. It is not mandatory to choose a brace that is exclusive only to one side.
• Choose a brace with a thick strap as they will provide your arm good support.
• For cleanliness and maintenance factors, I would recommend you get an easily washable brace.

2^nd: Putting the Brace On

• After you learn about all the components that come with the brace from the manufacturer’s direction, you need to open the straps of the braces.
• Open the braces up to a point where your arms will easily slide through the brace.
• Slip your arms inside the brace and pull it up to your forearm.

3^rd: Positioning and Wrapping of the Brace

• After you have slipped your hands through the brace, then you need to properly position the brace according to the shape and size of your arm.
• Keep the foam side facing outwards as it would support the tendon area. And this way, your tendon remains compressed and secured from germs.
• Then you need to wrap the brace straps around your arms tightly to stay put in one place. Make sure it isn’t too tight, or else your blood circulation will be restricted.

4^th: Adjust Accordingly

• Even after wrapping it properly, if you feel any kind of inconvenience during playing, you can always adjust it however you like or feel comfortable.
• Wear the tennis elbow brace whenever you’re doing any kind of heavy work, and you feel that your arms need that support.
• But wearing it in the wrong manner might be harmful and even delay your recovery from the previous injury. So, don’t forget to consult someone if your positioning is correct or not.

How Long To Wear Tennis Elbow Brace?

If a person experiences tennis elbow, the very first thing they should do is see a doctor. They will evaluate and treat you adequately based on the severity of your injury. Wearing an elbow brace should be considered only after diagnosis. It will assist you in dealing with the pain you are likely to experience on the path to recovery.

1^st: Doctor’s Suggestion 

• Most doctors suggest the time period for wearing an elbow brace based on how many injuries your arms bear.
• Tennis elbow usually takes about 1-3 weeks to fade the ache away, and in about 3-5 weeks later, most injuries are entirely recovered.

  2^nd: Until You Feel Comfortable

• Sometimes if the wounds are very severe or sore, then it might take up to 6-12 months to heal and sometimes even more than that.
• If you feel comfortable wearing the brace, then it is better to continue using it unless your arms and elbows feel alright.
• In more than 90% of cases, tennis elbows heal automatically with time, and when it doesn’t, people go for the surgical procedure as a last resort.

Do Tennis Elbow Braces Actually Work?

According to the small study published by Trauma Monthly in July 2016, researchers found out that both standard strap braces and wedged braces effectively lessened pain and improved grip strength in those with tennis elbow; however, the wedged brace was by far the most beneficial.

Some of those benefits have been listed below for you to hover through.

1^st: Providing Full Protection

• Not only does an elbow brace give your tendon support and relief, but it also safeguards the injured places from harmful substances that can cause infection.
• The arms, especially on a tennis court, are more likely to be exposed to direct sunlight than most other parts of the body. As a result, by shielding the elbows, you would be comfortable in the court and avoid contact with the surrounding environment.

2^nd: Blood Circulation Enhancement

• If someone can’t use their elbow properly because of injury, naturally, increased blood supply around the region should be the topmost priority.
• Fortunately, this is the primary function of a tennis elbow brace.
• Using the elbow brace, one can function their arms better while doing any workout or sports activity.

3^rd: Warming Your Arms in Cold Weather

• If you’ve been planning to play a match on a chilly afternoon, your muscles are likely to become rigid after a while. Undoubtedly, this would result in increased discomfort and pain.
• The improved blood circulation in your arm from wearing an elbow brace should keep the area warm and give you a comfortable game even in the cold weather.

Conclusion

I hope now you know that the most straightforward answer to how long to wear tennis elbow brace is as long as your elbow needs to heal properly.  If you’re a sportsperson, mainly if you play tennis or golf, your arms’ strenuous exertion may cause you pain. As a result, it’s advised that you seek brace assistance. But lastly, don’t forget that as much as braces are necessary, you should also let your arms move around as much as possible.